Development of microsatellite markers for Qualea grandiflora (Vochysiaceae), a typical species of the Brazilian cerrado.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Microsatellite primers were developed to investigate genetic diversity and population structure of Qualea grandiflora, a typical species of the Brazilian cerrado. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight microsatellite loci were isolated using an enrichment cloning protocol. These loci were tested on a population of 110 individuals of Q. grandiflora collected from a cerrado fragment in São Paulo State, Brazil. The loci polymorphism ranges from seven to 19 alleles and the average heterozygosity value is 0.568, while the average polymorphic information content is 0.799. CONCLUSIONS: The developed markers were found to be highly polymorphic, indicating their applicability to studies of population genetic diversity in Q. grandiflora.